BT Agrees To Make Its Sports Channels Available On Google Chromecast

BT "has agreed to make its sports channels available via Google’s Chromecast, in a move that reduces its dependence on the much criticised YouView television platform," according to Henry Mance of the FINANCIAL TIMES. The telecom group is only the second U.K. broadcaster "to place its content on Google’s dongle, joining the BBC’s iPlayer app." BT Consumer Division Head John Petter said that the channels "will only be available to BT’s broadband customers." The deal "is a fillip for Chromecast," which went on sale in the U.K. in March with a low price of £30 ($50), but offered a limited range of content. Chromecast "is competing with several other Internet streaming devices, including Now TV, offered by Sky, and YouView, which is backed by free-to-air broadcasters and BT and TalkTalk" (FT, 4/1).